WI News Dec 15
BRAMPTON BRYAN
The highlight of October was an outing to Ludlow Assembly Rooms to see the live-streaming of The Importance of Being Earnest starring David Suchet. Partners and friends were invited and the evening was a big success thanks mainly to our Outings Secretary, Gill Sumner, for organising the whole event.
After we had heard the Treasurer's Report, the Committee's Report and the President's Address at our November AGM, Anne Voysey gave us a brief talk on her recent visit to Denman College. Anne had been the lucky beneficiary of this year's bursary and decided on a 4 day course entitled Shakespeare's Globe and Elizabethan Theatre. There were two days of study and a trip to The Globe to see Measure for Measure. She thoroughly enjoyed the whole experience and finished by recommending Denman to everyone.
The evening ended with our customary hot supper prepared by the outgoing committee.
WELLINGTON
Wellington WI had a busy December meeting, with general business first, and an update from our committee. The Sales Table had a Christmas theme and it did a roaring trade, with items including rum mincemeat, and the legendary Wellington WI Christmas Puddings, some of which are still available through Wellington Delights shop in the village. The main part of the evening saw members trying their hands at creating a Christmas craft item, including decorations around a wine bottle; a table display to include a candle; a table centrepiece, and a vase with baubles, lights and greenery and sparkles. Photos can be found on Facebook, by searching Wellington Women's Institute. With festive tunes playing in the background, members and guests enjoyed a light buffet, mulled wine and a good chat.
HOLMER
HOLMER very much enjoyed their Christmas Party meeting with an exclusive showing of the winning entry to this year's Cogan Cup competition "Childhood" presented by our very own wonderful drama group. Well done to them all. Happy Christmas and New Year to everyone at WI House, thank you for all your hard work.
STOKE PRIOR
December saw Stoke Prior and District munching their way through a delicious Christmas Lunch at Leominster Golf Club. After exchanging Christmas presents as part of their competition, members enjoyed readings and a game. There was a lot of chatting and laughing. Next year we have some great speakers booked including talks on China, Lower Brockhampton, Decluttering and Colour Me Beautiful. Come along and meet us, you'll be made to feel very welcome.
BRAMPTON BRYAN
Brampton Bryan WI met on the 10th December, with new Committee members in place in their new jobs. Our President Jean Richards welcomed us all, and gave us news of how the Famous Christmas Pudding Mix had gone. Thanks to great organisation and willing and sometimes unexpected help, the morning had been a great success with many happy visitors collecting some 250 pudding mixes, buying raffle tickets, browsing the produce stall and enjoying a quiet moment for refreshments. We are looking forward to meeting the other members of our new Group and taking part in the Three Counties Show's "The Months of the Year in Herefordshire", where our Group's display will represent November and December.
We had a fascinating talk from John Voysey, who spoke about Herefordshire Wildlife Trust and its work in the County. He told us of its involvement in conserving and enhancing the environment, and increasing the level of public's involvement and knowledge of nature and wildlife. He described the many different and diverse habitats that the Wildlife Trust owns or manages in Herefordshire, ranging from lush lowland pastures to species-rich limestone uplands, through coppices, woodlands, and hedgerow corridors and past ancient ponds. We were delighted to hear that Pine Martens are now thriving, and thanks to their predation on grey squirrels, our native red squirrels may now gain in numbers. We were also interested to hear that Herefordshire is home to long-coated fallow deer, as well as the more common roe deer. In closing, John Voysey mentioned that the Trust organises a series of winter lectures, as well as summer field visits, and these are open to members of the Trust and non-members. We all then adjourned for mulled wine and a delicious festive supper, to which we had all contributed.
PARKWAY
At the Christmas meeting Parkway WI was entertained by Sylvester the Jester with, joking apart, stories, and songs. A tasty tea was enjoyed afterwards and the meeting closed with traditional Christmas Carols.
Parkway WI wishes everyone in the Federation a Happy New Year and looks forward to welcoming new members and visitors to our meetings.
BISHOPSWOOD
Bishopswood WI met at the Village Hall at 2.30pm on Friday, 11th December for our monthly meeting and Christmas party, taken for the first time by our new President, Mrs Jenny Joseph. Thirty four members and friends were present. We started as usual with Jerusalem and a short business meeting, where Mrs Joseph outlined the local and county events planned for the future. She introduced the new Treasurer, Mrs Julia Brain and the Committee for the next year. Then it was time for a Group Photograph. Jenny had made and decorated a beautiful cake, which was accompanied by a toast to the W.I. in its Centenary Year.
Tea came next, after which we were entertained by Baroness Jill Pittkeathley, one of our members, who spoke about Jane Austen, a subject dear to her heart. Jane's brother, Henry Austen, said in his introduction to the first edition of Northanger Abbey and Persuasion, which were published together after her death, that 'my sister's life was not one of events'. It may not have been, but it provided plenty of material for a very interesting and entertaining talk, which left us all wanting to read her books again.
Jane led a very modest life; daughter of a clergyman in a small English village, she never married, never travelled more than thirty miles from home and died at the age of forty-one. She wrote 6 almost perfect novels, 2 of which were published posthumously. She herself commented that she worked 'on a 2 inch piece of ivory with a very fine brush'.
Jill has always been a Jane Austen fan after studying Sense and Sensibility for O Levels, but her passion really developed after she had been very seriously ill and was asked, if she had died, what she would really like to have done in her life. Her answer was 'Write the definitive biography of Jane Austen', then she realised that that book had already been written. She next decided to research a biography of Cassandra, Jane's sister, but found that very little was known about her, except that she burnt Jane's letters after Jane's early death. Encouraged by her friend, Ruth Rendell, Jill decided on fiction and wrote two novels, 'Cassandra and Jane' and 'Dearest Cousin Jane', the latter inspired by Jane's cousin Eliza, who led a very eventful life, marrying a French aristocrat who was executed in the French Revolution. Jill's books, though history with a twist, are as faithful to reality as possible and all dates are accurate and she is a very inspiring speaker. We all enjoyed her talk very much.
Our next meeting on 22nd January, is our annual lunch at the Royal Forest of Dean College, 12 noon to 2.00 pm.
LEDBURY
The President Margaret Coulson welcomed members & guests to our last meeting of 2015. There was a small amount of business and a reminder of the subscription £37.50 due in January.
Margaret welcomed Colin Myles who had kindly come along to entertain us with Christmas songs and readings interspersed with everyone joining in the singing of carols. A vote of thanks was given to Colin and he was invited to join us for refreshments.
Then the Committee served everyone with mulled wine, apple juice, sausage rolls and stollen. Liz Whattler was thanked for preparing the food and drinks for everyone. The President wished everyone a Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year.
The next meeting of Ledbury WI is January 13th at 7.30pm in the Parish Rooms, Catholic Church, New St; Ledbury, HR8 2EE. Our Speaker will be Alan Wells recommending Gardening for Bees.